Lock for holding table legs



July 6, WS. F. D. CHICK LOCK FOR HOLDING TABLE LEGS Filed Oct. 15, 1946 w I 11 veutor Patented July 6, 1948 `UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOCK FOR HOLDING TABLE LEGS Foster D. Chick, Kenosha, Wis. Application October 15, 1946, Serial No. 703,296

1 claim. 1

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in folding table legs and more particularly to means for locking the legs in either a folded or open position.

An important object of the present invention is to provide means for automatically locking the leg in either its open or folded position and including a spring projected detent carried by the leg and adapted to enter a pair of openings in a locking plate secured to the table, the openings being arranged to secure .the leg in either its open or folded position by the engagement of the `detent therein.

A further object of the invention is to provide push-button releasing means for the datent whereby to permit free swinging movement of the legs.

A still further object is to provide a device of this character of simple and practical construction, which is neat and attractive in appearance, efficient and reliable in operation, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which .the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of one corner of a .table with the table top removed and with par-ts broken away and shown in section.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on a line 2-2 of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on a line 3--3 of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawing in detail wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention the numeral 5 designates the table top for a conventional form of table, such as a card table or the like and to the underside of which are secured the rails G.

An angle corner plate I `is secured to the inside of the corner of the rails 6 by screws or the like 9 and a second angle plate 9 has one of its flanges Il) secured to one of the anges II of the plate I by means of rivets or the like I2 and with the other flange I3 of the plate 9 positioned in spaced parallel relation to the flange I4 of the corn-er |plate 1 as shown more clearly in Figure 1 of the drawings.

A pivot bolt I5 is secured to .the anges I3 and Id of the two angle plates by means of a nut I6 threaded on the bolt and the inner end of a table leg Il is pivotally mounted on the bolt for movement into and out of folded position against the underside of the top 5.

A recess I8 is formed in the outer side of the leg I1 and in which is slidably mounted a plunger I9 with a coil spring 20 positioned in the recess behind the plunger. The outer end of the recess I8 is closed by an aper-tured plug 2| forming a stop for lthe plunger and the outer end of the plunger is formed with a reduced detent 22 working through the plug and adapted to selectively enter openings 23 and 24 formed in the flange I3 of the angle plate 9.

The opening 23 is arranged to receive the detent 22 when the leg I'I is moved into its open position and to lock the leg in such position While the opening 24 is arranged to receive the detent 22 when the leg is swung upwardly against the table top 5 in its folded position an-d to lock the leg in its folded position.

A pair of push-buttons 25 and 26 are formed with threaded stems 21 which are threaded through the end of a leaf spring 23 which is secured at its central portion to the flange I3 by a rivet or the like 29. The vpush-button 25 is positioned over the opening 23 while the pushbutton 26 is positioned over the opening 24 and the leaf spring 28 has its ends bent outwardly to normally maintain the buttons in outwardly spaced relation from their respective openings.

In order to release the detent 22 from locking engagement in one of the openings 23 or 24, the proper button 25 or 26 is pressed inwardly whereby the stem 21 thereof will engage the detent and force the detent and plunger I9 inwardly until the detent is removed from the opening thereby permitting free swinging movement of the leg into either its open or folded position.

In View of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the construction, operatio-n and advantages of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A folding table leg assembly comprising a plate secured to a table adjacent one of the inside faces of each leg and having a pair of openings, a spring projected detent carried by the leg for selective engagement in said openings to secure the leg in folded or open position, a leaf spring secured to said plate with its ends free and disposed over said openings, and a push-button carried at each end of the spring and having portions thereof insertable in said openings to release the detent, when said ends and the corresponding push-buttons are selectivelydepressed.

FOSTER D. CHICK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

5 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,818,629 Knapps Aug. 11, 1931 2,047,389 Sinclair July 14, 1936 Cummins Feb. 4, 1941 

